Retractable roof device and vehicle fitted with said device

ABSTRACT

A retractable roof device for a vehicle, including a roof panel configured to be displaced by a guide, moving from a closed position covering the passenger compartment of the vehicle to a retracted position in a rear area of the vehicle. The device also includes a cover structure. The controlled displacement of the roof between the closed position and the retracted position causes displacement of the rear cover structure and/or part of the passenger compartment such that the rear cover structure and/or passenger compartment part allows the roof panel and guide to be displaced.

The present invention relates to retractable-roof devices and tovehicles equipped with such devices. More particularly, it relates toretractable-roof devices capable of being stored in a part of a vehicletrunk.

Such structures and associated mechanisms are described and illustratedin German Patents 4445580 and 4445944. The first patent describes arigid roof that can be retracted into part of the trunk, this roof beingarticulated by a quadrilateral articulation system. The second patentdescribes a trunk door whose mechanism permits opening toward the frontfor storage of luggage and opening toward the rear to permit the passageof a rigid roof.

The structures illustrated in these patents suffer from severaldisadvantages, such as the number of parts necessary, which addsrestrictive weight and cost and which does not permit reliablerepeatability of assembly. The large number of parts used in thedifferent rod assemblies also suffers from a disadvantage in terms ofsystem stability. In addition, these patents do not take into accountthe problems posed by management of the rear panel during movement ofthe roof structure or the problems of interaction between the vehiclebody and the arms of mechanisms passing through this body.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an improvement ofthese retractable-roof devices.

The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with such a device.

The present invention will now be described exclusively by way ofexample and with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view from above of a roof device according to the invention,when the roof is in retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a view from the side of the device in the position of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial view from the side of the rear shelf in openposition and of the actuating means according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view from below of the rear shelf with a closure flap indeployed position and with the actuating means according to theinvention.

When the panel of roof 6 is resting on the vehicle frame, and inparticular on the upper pillar of the windshield, or in other words whenthe roof is performing a function of covering the passenger compartmentformed by the vehicle operator's station and the set of passenger seats,the roof is said to be in closed position.

When the entirety of the roof is lodged in the storage space reservedtherefor in the rear 8 of the vehicle, such that the passengercompartment formed by the vehicle operator's station and the set ofpassenger seats is then uncovered, the roof is said to be in retractedposition.

In a configuration with the roof in closed position, a rear cover 10structure is situated behind the roll bars. Advantageously, it comprisesa substantially horizontal rear shelf 12. On both sides of the shelf 12,transversely relative to the vehicle, arms are deployed to support theroof. In open position, the rear shelf 12 is situated in the samesubstantially horizontal manner behind the roll bars. On both sides ofthe shelf 12, transversely relative to the vehicle, in order to concealthe space left unoccupied by the arms that are integral with the roofand that from now on are in the storage space reserved for the roof atthe rear 8 of the vehicle, flaps, referred to as closure flaps 14 aredisplaced from a stored position to a deployed position, making itpossible to conceal the unoccupied space. The presence of such flaps 14is necessary from an esthetic viewpoint so that the vehicle in openposition exhibits a continuous surface, from an aerodynamic viewpoint inorder to avoid perturbations in air flow, and also to ensure sealedcondition of the mechanism present under the shelf 12.

In order to permit retraction of the roof into the storage space at therear 8 of the vehicle, the rear shelf 12 changes position and shiftssuccessively from an initial position known as rest position, preferablysubstantially horizontal, to a so-called open position, preferablysubstantially vertical, in order to make space for the passage of theroof, before finally returning to a substantially horizontal position.

Advantageously, when the roof is in closed position or in retractedposition, the rear shelf 12 is oriented at an angle to the horizontalplane, in such a way that the rear portion of the shelf 12 is lower thanthe front portion of the shelf 12.

The movement of the rear shelf 12 during retraction of the roof can takeplace in the following manner: In closed position, the substantiallyhorizontal shelf 12 is pinched in its rear portion by the rear portionof the roof. When the vehicle operator instructs the roof to open, acontrol unit actuates a first movement of the trunk door to release thestorage space reserved for the roof in the rear 8 portion of thevehicle. While the trunk door continues to pivot toward the rear 8 ofthe vehicle around a transverse shaft of the vehicle, the roof is causedto move by a hydraulic action of a control lifter. Via a system of cams24 s, the rotary movement of the roof causes a rotary movement of theshelf 12. In order to permit release of the rear shelf 12 from thepinching applied by the roof, the rear shelf 12 performs a first rotarymovement toward the base of the vehicle, around a transverse shaft ofthe vehicle. When the rear portion of the roof that was previouslypinching the shelf 12 is situated at a vertical level lower than that ofthe shelf 12, the shelf 12 performs a second rotary movement, this timetoward the top of the vehicle, around the same transverse shaft. Thissecond rotary movement continues until the shelf 12 becomes stopped insubstantially vertical position. While the shelf 12 is in this stoppedposition, the roof continues to be retracted into the storage spacereserved for it, from now on also causing rotation of the closure flaps14.

The folding down of the shelf 12 then is controlled by the folding downof the trunk door. A mechanical cable, such as that used for bicyclebrake cables, known by the name Bowden cable, transmits a forcegenerated by the closing mechanism of the trunk door to a deviceconnected to the shelf 12. When the trunk door is instructed by thecontrol unit to fold down, or in other words while the roof has not yetbeen fully retracted, a simultaneous movement of the rear shelf 12 isgenerated by the cable link, in such a way as to cause the rear shelf12, now inserted between the two closure flaps 14, to return to asubstantially horizontal position.

The movement of the rear shelf 12 to permit the passage of the roof froma retracted position to a closed position is symmetrically identical.The shelf 12 is first brought into substantially stopped verticalposition then restored to substantially horizontal position. Thesemovements are created by the rotation of the roof as it returns to aclosed position and by the action of the Bowden cable as it transmitsthe movements of the trunk door to the shelf 12.

As seen in the foregoing, when the roof is in retracted position, it isnecessary to have closure flaps 14 on both sides of the rear shelf 12for esthetic, aerodynamic and sealing needs. When the roof is in closedposition, these same closure flaps 14 cannot be in this position,because they would cause movement of the arms associated with the roof.In closed position, these flaps 14 are therefore slipped under the rearshelf 12. The principle of movement of the flaps 14 is as follows:

The flaps 14 remain slipped under the shelf 12 when the roof is inclosed position and when this roof starts to undergo a rotary movement.They remain slipped into this position until the shelf 12 becomesstopped in substantially vertical position. In this position, therotation of the roof around a transverse shaft of the vehicle causesdisplacement of the flaps 14 by cam 24 s. In order to shift from aposition slipped under the shelf 12 to a position beside the shelf 12,while forming a plane with this shelf 12, the movement of the flaps 14must be both a movement of release from under the shelf 12 and atranslational movement to arrive at the same height as the shelf 12.Advantageously, these two movements are achieved simultaneously by ahelicoidal rotation. It will be understood that these two movements canbe achieved successively by a rotational movement followed by atranslational movement, or by two translational movements.

The respective movements of the closure flaps 14 and of the shelf 12 aretherefore generated by a common rotary mechanism based on the initialrotary movement of the roof.

A continuous rotary movement of the roof causes two successivemovements, the movement of the shelf 12 first and then the movement ofthe closure flaps 14. By virtue of the symmetry relative to thecenterline of the vehicle, the mechanism described hereinafter for theleft side of the vehicle is the same for the right side.

The continuous rotary movement of the roof is generated by hydrauliccontrol. A lifter composed of a body and piston is articulated on thebody, at the end of the lifter body via which the piston emerges. Suchan articulation allows movement of the lifter body without too much lossof longitudinal thrust of the piston. This piston movement generates themovement of two rods connected respectively to the free end of thepiston. A first rod is integral with the body, ensuring both guidance ofthe movement of the piston and stability of the latter when it isextended, and a second rod, known as the leverage-reducing rod, mountedto rotate freely around the interior arm of the roof, the arm supportingthe roof being situated toward the passenger compartment, ensures thatthe translational movement of the piston can be transferred to arotational movement of this interior arm. The leverage-reducing rodpulls the interior arm toward the lifter when the piston is retractedand conversely pushes the interior arm when the piston extends outsidethe lifter body. Since the lower portion of the interior arm is mountedto rotate around a fixed shaft, known as principal pivot shaft 22, thedisplacement of the interior arm is therefore a rotational movementaround that shaft. The set of different pivot points formed by, amongother components, this pivot shaft, the pivot points between thestructure of the roof and the upper portions of the interior andexterior arms, and a pivot point between the lower portion of theexterior arm and the body form an articulated quadrilateral, whosemovement is generated by rotation of the interior arm around theprincipal pivot shaft 22. The mobility of the roof, supported by thearticulated quadrilateral, is therefore created by the substantiallylongitudinal movement of the piston and is effected via a rotation ofthe principal shaft 22.

This principal pivot shaft 22 also carries at least one first pulley 20having a flange perpendicular to the pivot shaft and a groove around theperiphery of the first pulley 20. The principal pivot shaft 22 alsocarries at least one cam 24 having a radial protuberance. At its end,the interior arm extends toward the interior of the vehicle, thisextension being parallel to the principal pivot shaft 22. The relativeposition of the different elements carried by the principal pivot shaft22 is such that the interior arm is situated toward the exterior of thevehicle, the cam 24 is situated toward the interior of the vehicle andthe first pulley 20 is situated between the arm and the cam 24. Theextension of the interior arm parallel to the principal pivot shaft 22therefore intersects the plane of rotation of the first pulley 20 andthe radial flange of the first pulley 20 has a dimension such that itcan be in contact with the extension of the interior arm parallel to theprincipal pivot shaft 22.

A substantially L-shaped lever is articulated at one of its ends on thecam 24 and has an orifice for passage of the radial protuberance of thecam 24 in an extreme position. The other end of the lever is mounted torotate around a shaft integral with the shelf 12.

A second pulley is mounted to rotate around a second pivot shaft 22carried by a housing, which also carries the principle pivot shaft 22.This second pulley has a groove in which a mechanical cable of thebicycle-brake type is inserted. This cable is connected to the openingmechanism of the trunk door.

The cam 24 is connected to one end of a restoring spring, whose otherend is integral with the housing. This restoring spring tends to returnthe shelf 12, via the cam 24 and the L-shaped lever, to a substantiallyhorizontal position when the second pulley, which blocks the radialprotuberance of the cam 24, is actuated by the cable of the trunk door.The cam 24 is then released and returns into contact with the extensionof the interior arm because of the action of the restoring spring.

The extension of the interior arm has a first and a second surfacecapable of cooperating simultaneously with a third surface of the flangeof the first pulley 20 and with a fourth surface of the cam 24. Thesethird and fourth surfaces are arranged so that, in a rest position whenthe shelf 12 is lowered and the roof is closed, they are not located ina plane parallel to the plane defined by the first and second surfacesof the extension of the interior arm. The cam 24 is therefore offset inrest position relative to the first pulley 20, in such a way that,during retraction of the roof and therefore rotation of the interiorarm, the second surface of the extension of the interior arm first comesinto contact with the fourth surface of the cam 24 and at first createsrotation of the cam 24 around the principal pivot shaft 22. The rotationof this cam 24 causes on the one hand displacement of the L-shaped leverand therefore of the shelf 12 into a vertical position, and on the otherhand the displacement of the radial protuberance of the cam 24, whichthen becomes engaged in a slot of the second pulley 30.

While retraction of the roof is continuing, or in other words whilerotation of the interior arm around the principal pivot shaft 22 iscontinuing, the first surface of the extension of the interior arm nowcomes into contact with the third surface of the first pulley 20 andcreates a rotation of the first pulley 20 around the principal pivotshaft 22. A cable of the bicycle-brake type is fixed in the groove ofthis first pulley 20, and the rotation of this first pulley 20 generatesa tractive force on this cable; at the other end of the cable, thistractive force acts on an actuating mechanism 18 of the closure flaps14. This actuating mechanism 18 of the closure flaps 14 is fixed to theshelf 12 and consists of a shaft integral with the shelf 12 and acylinder carrying the closure flap 14. The movement of the cylinderrelative to the shaft is a helicoidal rotary movement, which permitsrelease of the flap 14 from underneath the shelf 12 and at the same timeallows the flap 14 to be restored to a substantially equivalent verticallevel. The helicoidal rotary movement of the closure flaps 14 istherefore initiated by the rotation of the first pulley 20 carried bythe principal pivot shaft 22.

It will be understood that the movement of the closure flaps 14 beginsduring retraction of the roof, while the shelf 12 is substantially invertical position. This movement of the flaps 14 is ended when the roofis already retracted and the trunk door resumes its initial position.The assembly formed by the first pulley 20, the intermediate support andthe cam 24 being stopped against the extension of the interior arm, thereturn of the rear shelf 12 to position is initiated by the start ofmovement of the trunk door. A cable connects the mechanism of this trunkdoor to the second pulley and permits release of the radial protuberanceof the cam 24, by creating a rotary movement of the second pulley 30.The movement that is now permitted of the cam 24 and therefore of theL-shaped lever allows the shelf 12 to be returned to substantiallyhorizontal position. This substantially horizontal position is keptstopped by the contact of the shelf 12 on a pin integral with thehousing.

When the vehicle operator instructs the roof to close, the operationtakes place symmetrically in the same manner. The opening of the trunkdoor and the start of movement of the articulated assembly supportingthe roof cause the rear shelf 12 to become shifted into a substantiallyvertical position and cause the stops represented by the first andsecond surfaces of the extension of the interior arm on the thirdsurface of the first pulley 20 and fourth surface of the cam 24 to bereleased. A spring system placed between the shaft and the cylinder usedfor the helicoidal rotation of the closure flaps 14 then permits, whenthe pressure exerted by the cable on the cylinder no longer exists, orin other words when the first pulley 20 is released following rotationof the principal shaft 22, the flaps 14 to be returned to position underthe shelf 12 in order to permit passage of the arms supporting thestructure of the roof.

The closed position of the roof, in which the articulated assemblysupporting the roof has a lower portion underneath the structure of thebody and an upper portion connected to the roof and therefore above thisstructure of the body, and the retracted position of this roof, in whichthe articulated assembly is entirely situated underneath the structureof the body, entails the creation of an orifice in the structure of thebody to permit passage of the articulated assembly. These orificescannot be uncovered when the roof is in retracted position, foresthetic, aerodynamic and sealing reasons. Advantageously, the interiorarm supporting the roof has an elbowed shape 32 close to its lower end.This elbowed shape is complementary to a cam, belonging to a trap door,not illustrated, situated in the structure of the vehicle, in a zonesubstantially close to the shelf 12. When the roof is activated in orderto return to closed position, the lower portion of the interior arm onceagain comes into contact with the cam of the trap door and creates arotation of this cam and of an associated plate and therefore causes thetrap door to open. The interior arm and the exterior arm can then passthrough this trap door in order to support the roof. A restoring springis connected to the cam of the trap door, in such a way that, duringretraction of the roof, and therefore when the lower portion 32 ofinterior arm is no longer in contact with the cam, this cam resumes itsrest position and causes the trap door to shut via return of the plateassociated with the cam to its rest position.

The present invention also relates to a mechanism of the trunk door. Avehicle whose rigid roof can be retracted into a storage space reservedin the rear 8 of the vehicle must be equipped with a trunk door havingspecial kinematics.

Firstly, the trunk door must permit standard opening, in order to storeluggage in the trunk. For this purpose, the trunk door is mounted torotate around a transverse shaft in the portion of the trunk doorsituated farthest forward in the vehicle, when this trunk door is inclosed position: access to the trunk then takes place, when the trunkdoor is open, via the rear 8 of the vehicle.

Secondly, when the vehicle operator demands retraction of the roof, theroof becomes stored in a storage space reserved therefor in the zone ofthe trunk. The trunk door must therefore be opened to allow the roof topass, and a standard opening maneuver does not permit this. The trunkdoor must then pivot around a second transverse pivot shaft in theportion of the trunk situated farthest to the rear in the vehicle, whenthis trunk door is in closed position: access to the trunk then takesplace, when the trunk door is open, via the front of the vehicle andtherefore permits passage of the roof and its associated mechanism.

The trunk door is caused to move by an assembly of three principalelements, namely a locking device comprising a hinge of “gooseneck” typeand two lateral mechanisms disposed symmetrically on each side of thetrunk door. Only the lateral mechanism of the left side of the vehiclewill be described, since the lateral mechanism corresponding to theright side is symmetrically equivalent thereto.

This lateral mechanism is composed of a mounting plate integral with thebody, of an intermediate chassis articulated on this mounting plate, ofa first pneumatic system, one end of which is fixed on the mountingplate and the other end of which is connected to the intermediatechassis, and of an articulation system situated between the intermediatechassis and the trunk door and formed by rods and a second pneumaticsystem. The mounting plate makes it possible to combine, in the samepart, different functionalities, such as articulation of theintermediate chassis, immobilizing means offering the possibility oflocking this chassis in ready-to-mount position, the fixation of thefirst pneumatic system actuating the movement of the intermediatechassis. This mounting plate is made of relatively lightweight material,has small thickness and can advantageously be of triangular shape.

The intermediate chassis itself is made in one piece, havingsubstantially “double-L” shape. A first portion, known as thearticulation portion, is mounted on the mounting plate by a pivot jointaround a shaft substantially transverse relative to the vehicle andperpendicular to the plane of the mounting plate. This firstarticulation portion also carries the free end of the first pneumaticsystem, the translational movement of the piston generating, via thisfreely pivotal joint and the point of articulation of the chassis on themounting plate, a rotary movement of the intermediate chassis around ashaft transverse relative to the vehicle and perpendicular to the planeof the mounting plate. The intermediate chassis has a first elbowedportion that connects the first articulation portion to a secondportion, known as the transfer portion. This second transfer portion andthe first articulation portion are substantially at right angles. At theother end of the second transfer portion, a second elbowed portion isprolonged by a third portion, known as the support portion,substantially parallel to the first articulation portion. This thirdsupport portion has different articulation points, on which there arefixed the different rods of the articulation system, which system issituated between the third support portion of the intermediate chassisand a support plate integral with the trunk door. The free end of thepiston of the second pneumatic system is also fixed on the third supportportion of the chassis, the body of the lifter of the second pneumaticsystem being connected to the support plate integral with the trunkdoor.

During opening of the trunk door in the traditional manner for thepurpose of storing luggage, the piston of the second pneumatic system,compressed when the trunk door is closed, extends as soon as the lock ofthe trunk door is unlocked. The extension of this piston then createsopening of the trunk door, accompanied by the rods of the articulationsystem connected to the third support portion of the intermediatechassis. In such an opening, the intermediate chassis does not shift andremains fixed relative to the mounting plate because of the action ofimmobilizing means mounted on this mounting plate. A pin mounted on thechassis, for example at the second curved portion, may have for thispurpose a shape complementary to a system of hooks of immobilizingmeans. In this position, known as the rest position, the arrangement ofthe assembly formed by the mounting plate and the chassis is such thatadvantageously the first articulation portion and the third supportportion of the intermediate chassis are substantially orientedhorizontally and the second transfer portion is substantially orientedvertically. In order to ensure that the chassis catches in the lock inorder to return to a rest position, a pulley can be fixed on theintermediate chassis and be used as guide by virtue of the fact that itis complementary relative to a groove made on the mounting plate.Advantageously, this pulley/groove assembly is constructed at those endsof the mounting plate and of the chassis that are remote from theircommon articulation point.

The chassis must catch securely on the mounting plate in order to ensurethat the opening of the trunk door for storage of luggage takes placevia an articulation based on a substantially horizontal and rigidstructure. It is also favorable for the manufacturer during assembly ofthe vehicle, because the assembly formed by the mounting plate and thechassis caught in the lock can in this way be supplied ready to mountwithout exhibiting any dispersion as regards installation on eachvehicle. The repeatability that such a system exhibits then offers timesavings and installation quality that are favorable for themanufacturers.

During the opening of the trunk by rotation of the trunk door around thesecond transverse pivot shaft in the portion of the trunk door situatedfarthest to the rear of the vehicle, or in other words during theopening of the trunk door to permit retraction of the roof, theintermediate chassis is released from the lock of the mounting plate.The first pneumatic system is fixed on the mounting plate,advantageously in the lower part of this mounting plate, the free end ofthe piston being connected to the intermediate chassis as described inthe foregoing. The piston of the first pneumatic system, compressed whenthe intermediate chassis is in a rest position, extends as soon as thelock of the mounting plate no longer retains the pin of the intermediatechassis. The extension of this piston, then its actuation by hydraulicpressure, then creates rotation of the intermediate chassis around apivot shaft perpendicular to the mounting plate and thereforesubstantially parallel to the transverse second pivot shaft. In thisconfiguration, the actuation of the second pneumatic system, situatedbetween the third support portion of the chassis and the support plateintegral with the trunk door, is such that the second pneumatic systemremains compressed. The rods of the articulation system situated betweenthe third support portion of the intermediate chassis and the supportplate integral with the trunk door remain at rest and do not articulatein this case. The system transmits the rotary movement of theintermediate chassis to the trunk door, which undergoes a rotarymovement around a transverse shaft belonging to the trunk door anddifferent from the intermediate chassis.

This rotary movement is performed around a transverse shaft, whichadvantageously passes through the lock of the trunk door. This locktherefore has a special structure in order to take into account theopening of the trunk around this second transverse pivot shaft passingthrough the lock and to avoid generating force in the lock, which wouldbe the case with a traditional lock and a trunk door that shifts whileremaining caught. This lock is based on a structure formedadvantageously from two parts, a fixed casing integral with thestructure of the body of the vehicle and a hinge of gooseneck type,which travels in a slide of the casing. The curved shape of the slideand the corresponding shape of the hinge generate a movement of thishinge equivalent to a rotary movement around a transverse shaft that canbe assimilated with the second transverse pivot shaft around which thetrunk door rotates. The upper part of the gooseneck hinge carries thecatch and bolt of the lock, which will correspond to a zone arranged inthe lower portion of the trunk door. By virtue of the curved connectionbetween the casing and the hinge, the two elements of the lock carriedboth by the body and the trunk door can be inclined in coordinatedmanner. The movement of the gooseneck hinge corresponds to the movementof the trunk door in smaller proportions. This combination of movementspermits a rotary movement of the trunk door without generating force onthe lock in contact with this trunk door.

The opening of the trunk door for retraction of the roof is thereforebased among other factors on two lateral systems and one lock systemprovided with a gooseneck hinge, which systems are independent. In eachof the lateral systems, the intermediate chassis is formed in one piece,which provides savings of parts and therefore of weight and money, andbetter stability of each lateral system. Synchronization of themovements of the two lateral systems is achieved by transmission of acontrol signal equivalent to a pressure to the first pneumatic systems.Such synchronization thus makes it possible to operate without amechanical appendage connecting the two lateral systems. It is to benoted that the trunk door may advantageously have a flexibility that ispredetermined to be adapted to the movements of the independent lateralsystems.

Installation of the mechanisms of the roof and the trunk door on thevehicle can be achieved as follows. The substructure of a vehicle, or inother words the totality of the structures of the body of the vehicleother than opening members and roof, arrives on an assembly line. Afirst assembly formed among other components by the mounting plate andthe intermediate chassis, which is clipped onto the mounting plate, isinstalled on the side faces inside the trunk zone. This assembly alsocontains the second pneumatic system and the articulation system formedby rods, as well as the support plate intended to be made integral withthe trunk door. The whole is delivered to the assembly line togetherwith the mounting plate and chassis clipped together, with thearticulation system folded up and the second pneumatic system connectedat its lifter body to the support plate and clipped at the end of itspiston also to the support plate. This piston end is intended to befixed to the third support portion of the intermediate chassis at theend of installation. At first it is clipped onto the support plate tofacilitate manipulation by the operator, after which it is unclipped andpositioned on the chassis as soon as the lateral opening members areinstalled. It is to be noted that the fact that the assembly comprisingmounting plate and chassis arrives clipped together on the assembly linemakes it possible to fix the assembly without dispersion between oneinstallation and another. The support plate is then made integral withthe trunk door when this arrives on the assembly line. The mechanism ofthe trunk door is then almost installed. Only the first pneumaticsystem, which must be installed between the first articulation portionof the chassis and the mounting plate, is missing. This first pneumaticsystem is delivered to the assembly line with the roof. In fact, theroof is delivered to the assembly line with at least the hydraulicdistribution box, the left and right first hydraulic systems, the shelf12, the closure flaps 14 and the mechanism associated with this shelf 12and these flaps 14. The fact that a hydraulic assembly is delivered inthis way as a unit permits the operator to achieve easier installationof the hydraulic cables. Once the roof is in place, all that is left forthe operator is to fix the hydraulic distribution box in the trunk andto connect it to a control unit, so that the hydraulic pressure controlsignals necessary to bring about movement of the mechanisms of the roofand of the trunk can be transmitted from the control unit to thepneumatic systems. The operator must also fix the first pneumatic systembetween the chassis and the mounting plate, by fixing the lifter body onthe mounting plate, advantageously in the lower portion of this mountingplate, and by installing the free end of the piston to rotate on thefirst articulation portion of the chassis. By means of a cable of thebicycle-brake type, the operator must also connect the mechanism of thetrunk door and the mechanism of the shelf 12 delivered with the roof.Synchronized actuation of the opening movements of the roof and of thetrunk door is ensured among other features by this connection.

TABLE OF REFERENCES ACCORDING TO FIGS. 1 to 4

-   6 Roof panel-   8 Rear zone of the vehicle-   10 Rear cover structure-   12 Rear shelf-   14 Closure flaps-   16 Guiding means of the roof-   18 Actuating mechanism of the closure flaps-   20 First pulley-   22 Principal pivot shaft-   24 Cam-   26 Actuator-   28 Bowden cable-   30 Second pulley-   32 Structure of at least one guide means capable of cooperating with    a cam in order to open a trap door

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A device for a retractable roof for a vehicle,comprising: a roof panel configured to be displaced by a guide from aclosed position covering a passenger compartment of the vehicle to aretracted position in a rear zone of the vehicle; and a rear coverstructure, wherein actuated displacement of the roof between the closedposition and the retracted position generates displacement of the rearcover structure and/or of a portion of the passenger compartment, suchthat the rear cover structure and/or the portion of the passengercompartment permits passage of the roof panel and of the guide.
 12. Adevice according to claim 11, wherein the rear cover structure comprisesa rear shelf and closure flaps, and the displacement of the roofgenerates successive displacement of the shelf and then of the closureflaps.
 13. A device according to claim 11, further comprising anactuator configured to actuate the guide of the roof panel by creating arotary movement of the guide around a substantially transverse shaft, anactuator of the closure flaps and of the rear shelf also being mountedon the substantially transverse shaft.
 14. A device according to claim13, wherein the actuator of the guide comprises a pneumatic lifterarticulated on a body at its middle.
 15. A device according to claim 13,wherein the actuator of the closure flaps and of the rear shelf is madeto rotate around the substantially transverse shaft by contact of theguide of the roof.
 16. A device according to claim 15, wherein theactuator of the closure flaps is connected to the closure flaps via aBowden cable.
 17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the actuatorof the closure flap comprises a pulley mounted around the transverseshaft, in a groove of which is fixed one end of the Bowden cable.
 18. Adevice according to claim 15, wherein the actuator of the rear shelf isdirectly connected to an articulation point of the rear shelf.
 19. Adevice according to claim 18, wherein the actuator of the rear shelfcomprises a cam mounted around the transverse shaft, a radialprotuberance of which can be blocked from rotating by a second pulley,to stop movement of the rear shelf.
 20. A device according to claim 19,wherein the roof panel is retracted under a trunk door of the vehicle,the trunk door being caused to move toward an open position duringmovement of the roof panel, and wherein movement of the trunk door isconfigured to release the radial protuberance by an action on the secondpulley.
 21. A device according to claim 19, wherein the action on thesecond pulley is via a Bowden cable.
 22. A device according to claim 11,wherein a portion of the passenger compartment, in a zone of passage ofthe guide of the roof, includes a trap door configured to cover a plate,the plate being associated with a cam, and wherein at least part of theguide of the roof includes a structure configured to cooperate with thecam, movement of the roof and of the guide then generating a force onthe cam and thus opening the trap door by making the plate associatedwith the cam disappear, the opening of the trap door then permitting theguide to pass through the trap door.
 23. A device according to claim 22,wherein the cam associated with the plate includes a restoring spring,the restoring spring causing closing of the trap door by return of theplate when the guide of the roof is no longer in contact with the cam,the roof being actuated by a movement toward its retracted position. 24.A vehicle comprising: a roof device comprising: a roof panel configuredto be displaced by a guide from a closed position covering a passengercompartment of the vehicle to a retracted position in a rear zone of thevehicle; and a rear cover structure, wherein actuated displacement ofthe roof between the closed position and the retracted positiongenerates displacement of the rear cover structure and/or of a portionof the passenger compartment, such that the rear cover structure and/orthe portion of the passenger compartment permits passage of the roofpanel and of the guide; and a motive power source used for actuating theroof, the rear shelf, and the closure flaps and being furnished by acommon actuating mechanism.